Cubs' Ricketts on Theo Epstein extension: ‘Nothing to report'

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MESA, Ariz. - The baseball world is going to have to wait a little longer to see what kind of contract Theo Epstein will get next.

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said there is "nothing to report" with regard to a possible Epstein contract extension, as the Cubs president of baseball operations is only signed through this season.

Ricketts and Epstein had dinner Tuesday night, but still have to "hammer out" the details, a phrase both Epstein and Ricketts have been using for more than a month. 

Ricketts did specify he and Epstein are on the same page and said he wasn't stressed about getting a deal done.

"I don't know how other owners and their heads of baseball get along, but I can't imagine a better relationship than what Theo and I have," Ricketts said. "It's not a very high-stress conversation. It's a matter of just thinking it through and getting it done soon."

In just four seasons, Epstein has led the charge turning around the Cubs franchise.

The Cubs have turned over almost the entire roster in Epstein's time, with Javier Baez as the only player acquired under former GM Jim Hendry who figures to play a prominent role for the big-league club this season.

Ricketts said Epstein has delivered on everything he promised when he first came over from the Boston Red Sox in November 2011 - building from the bottom up with a strong farm system and developing talent before going out and acquiring top players on the free agent market - like Jon Lester, Jason Heyward, John Lackey and Ben Zobrist over the last two seasons.

[MORE: Tom Ricketts responds to Donald Trump's tweet]

The Cubs enter 2016 as the World Series favorites, from oddsmakers and bettors to baseball experts and those around the game.

So does that mean Epstein deserves the most money as any president of baseball operations in the game?

"Any time you're the highest-paid anything in baseball, it's always a short-term position," Ricketts said. "It seems like someone's always gonna come in with more money. Obviously, there's been guys that have come in the last few years that make more money than Theo does.

"I think he's the best at what he does in the game. I think from a conversation standpoint, it should be reflected.

"But once again, I think we're generally on the same page. We've spent a lot of time together. We just haven't spent a lot of time focusing on the contract."

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